Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas) on Monday reiterated that his party would not sit in a government not headed by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, since most of the Israeli public supports Netanyahu's bid for prime minister.
In an interview with Kan Reshet Bet, Deri said: "I belong to the nationalist camp. The vast majority of the camp I belong to wants Netanyahu. How can I change my colors and say that I'm going because it's comfortable for me?"
Regarding the Yamina and New Hope parties, he said: "This is what I am crying about. With them we have a majority of 70 Knesset seats and maybe more, if everyone would know his place and everyone would work together."
"With all due respect, the head of the largest party in the camp is prime minister. I cannot sit in a coalition with [Yisrael Beytenu Chairman MK Avigdor] Liberman or Labor."
On Sunday, Deri described his decision to sit with Liberman in previous coalitions as "the biggest mistake of my life."